ABSTRACT

To evaluate the indications, complications and results of patient who had tracheostomy and to establish a treatment algorithm for patients suffering from airway obstruction.

The patients who had tracheostomy in our hospital over a 3 year period were reviewed.

Eighty patients had tracheostomy. 65(%81.2) of them had malignensies of aerodigestive tract that causing obstruction in the airway or causing extrinsic compression of the airway, 5(%6.2) of them had neck abscess, 2(%2.5) of them had subglottic stenosis and 8(%10) of them had variety of other etiologies. There were stridor in 35(%43.7) patients. On fiberoptic laryngoscopy, there were severe or moderate obstruction in 61(%76.2) patients and mild or no obstructon in 14(%17.5) patients. Only 5(%7.6) of 65 patients who had squamous cell carcinoma could been subsequently decannulated. 13(%20) of the rest had been decannulated. There were complications in 7(%8.7) patients after tracheostomy but none had serious problems

Tracheostomy should be considered in all patients who has airway obstruction or threat for airway obstruction or potential for difficult intubation. The emergency tracheostomy can have more complications so the procedure should be performed before an emergent situation appears.

Keywords: Tracheostomy, airway obstruction